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Author: 


Parker  Pen  Company 


Title: 


Applied  advertising  and 
marketing  for  college... 

Place: 

Janesville 

Date: 

[1923] 


MASTER    NEGATIVE   # 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 
PRESERVATION  DIVISION 

BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MICROFORM  TARGET 


ORIGINAL  MATERIAL  AS  FILMED  -    EXISTING  BIBLIOGRAPHIC  RECORD 


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263     Parker  pon  company,  Janosville,  T/is.  Advertising 

depart  nent. 

Applied  advertising^  and  marketing  for  college 
and  university  study}  a  note?/orthy  example  of 
modern  methods. .  ,J?d  ed«,  prepared  by  Benson, 
Gamble  ^z   Crowell,  Chicago. .  .Janesville,  V/is., 
Parker  pon  co.,  i-lQHoT^ 

28  p.  illus.( part. col;)  charts,  diagrs.  28  cm« 

Running  title:  Advertising  and  merchandising 
campaign  on  the  Parker  duofold  fountain  pon. 


RESTRICTIONS  ON  USE: 


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LIBRARY 
T.HOOL  OF  BUSINESS 


Applied  Advertising 
and  Marketing 

for  College  and  University  Study 

A  Noteworthy  Example 
of  Modem  Methods 


t 


-rP 


■*S!»'*" 


■'"*<:*&■ 


Applied  Advertising 
and  Marketing 


for  College  and  University  Study 

A  Noteworthy  Example 
of  Modem  Methods 

Explanatory  Note 

Early  in  1923  between  fifty  Since  the  publication  of  the 

first  edition,  many  more  in- 
stitutions have  sisrnified  their 
desire  to  study  this  example 
of  modem  methods. 

Hence  we  have  had  the 
first  edition  revised  and  sub- 
sequent developments  in  the 
Parker  system  incorporated 
with  it  in  this  Second  Edi- 
tion. 

It  is  now  in  fairly  com- 
plete and  detailed  form.  We 
hope  that  the  material  pre- 
sented may  be  of  value  to 
students  and  instructors  of 
Advertising  and  Merchandis- 
ingr. 

If  more  detailed  or  more 
specific  information  about 
any  part  of  this  analysis  is 
wanted,  the  Advertisinir  De- 
partment of  The  Parker  Pen 
Company  will  gladly  furnish 
it 


and  sixty  universities  and 
colleges  offering  courses  in 
Advertising  and  Merchandis- 
ing, requested  "behind-the- 
scenes"  information  about 
the  Parker  Dnofold  advertis- 
ing and  merchandising  cam- 
paign for  classroom  use. 

The  proper  execution  of  an 
advertising  and  merchuidis- 
ing  campaign  is  a  big  job, 
and  a  sketchy  outline  of  what 
was  done,  and  why,  falls  far 
short  of  portraying  a  true 
picture  and  showing  the  full 
scope  of  the  operation. 

The  problems  which  con- 
front The  Company  are  typi- 
cal of  those  which  confront, 
and  probably  always  will  con- 
front, manufacturers  in  other 
lines  of  industry.  The  analy- 
sis of  the  initial  campaign 
was,  therefore,  arranged. 


Second  Edition: — Prepared  by  Benson,  Gamble  A  Crowell,  Cliicasro.    Printed  and  PaUishcd  by  The  Parker 

Pen    Company,    Adrertiainc    Department,    Jannrrille,    Wis.,    U.    S.    A.      Direct    Branches    or    Distribatins 

Connectiona   at   New  York,   Chicaro,   San   Francisco,      London.   Copenhagen,    Milan,   Bombay,    Caleatta, 

Bataria,  Shanchai,   Manilla,  Bnenaa  Aires,  Rio  de  Jaaciro,  HaTana. 


J«.''.-:?  :ctV; 


-T»Hrw«-«S» 


V»  ;"V|  >"^  ^v|  A.vf  [■•%>Ml'''^'!''^M^.WM!^^^  l':^'J'MWl"\^  :"^'l"\V."\^ 


CONTENTS 


Advertising  and  Merchandising  the 
Duofold  Fountain  Pen 

PAGE 

A  Market  That  Was  Shriveling  on  the  Vine 3 

The  Product  Needed  to  Revive  the  Market 8 

Introduced  but  Resisted  by  Retailers 4 

An  Appeal  to  Consumers 6 

The  Test  Campaign 6 

Chart— Growth  of  Incomes  1915-1920 6 

Trade  Resistances  Encountered 8 

Chicago  Tribune  Check  Proved  Parker  Results  ....  8 

Sales  Drives  in  Other  Cities 9 

National  Advertising  Begun 9 

Chart — Three  Largest  Stores 10 

The  Old  Way— The  New  Way 11 

Chart — Department  Store  Sales 12 

The  Duofold  Family  Illustrated 13 

Proof  of  Typical  Duofold  Color  Advertisement  .     .     .  14-16 

Example  of  Typical  Sales  Promotion  Circular    ....  16 

How  Parker  Found  the  Remedy 17 

Chart — Seasonal  and  All  Year  Advertising 17 

The  Parker  Resale  System 18 

Parker  Advertising  Program  Aug.  to  Dec.  1923  ....  18 

Foreign  Campaigns 19 

Advertising  Based  on  Previous  Sales  and  a  Quota 

for  the  Future 19 

Example  of  Duofold  Foreign  Language  Advertisement      .  20 

Example  of  Dealer  Advertisement 21 

Example  of  Duofold  Domestic  Newspaper  Copy     ...  22 

An  Analysis  of  the  Parker  Duofold  Copy 

An  Analysis  of  the  Parker  Duofold  Copy 23 

Two  Types  of  Copy 24 

Headline  Called  90%  Importont 24 

Example  of  Duofold  Domestic  Newspaper  Copy      ...  26 

Reading  Public  Blase 27 

Avoid  "Blind  Captions 27 

The  Scarlet  Tanager  and  Duofold 27 

Flavored  With  Good  Cheer 27 


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"I  IVY  IVY  t\"/  lA 7  i\"/  k\i  iYi  hVi  iVv  k\/i-\ 


Advertising  and  Merchandising  Campaign  on  the  Parker  Doofold  Fountain  Pen 


Advertising  and  Merchandising  the 
Parker  Duofold  Fountain  Pen 


A  Market  That  Was 

Shriveling  on  the  Vine 

FOR  more  than  a  generation  prior  to 
the  World  War,  fountain  pens  had  been 
produced  in  America  by  several  manufac- 
turers. Their  sales  had  undergone  a 
steady  growth.  Yet,  after  all,  it  had  been 
rather  a  gradual  transition  from  a  small 
industry  to  an  annual  business  estimated 
at  $12,000,000  retail  in  1914. 

Then  the  war  broke,  devastating  many 
industries,  giving  sudden  impetus  to 
others.  Luck  favored  fountain  pens. 
From  training  camps,  trenches,  ship- 
board, and  hospitals,  came  a  sweeping  de- 
mand. Thus  millions  of  new  pen  users 
were  added  to  the  old,  and  these  soldiers, 
sailors  and  nurses  continued  to  be  users 
when  they  resumed  civilian  life. 

In  1919  American  fountain  pen  sales 
amounted  to  approximately  $30,000,000.00 
at  retail  prices.  Sales  reached  their  peak 
in  1920,  during  the  general  business  infla- 
tion. But  in  1921  they  declined.  The  pros- 
pect became  discouraging  when  this  de- 
cline continued  over  the  first  quarter  of 
1922.    What  was  to  be  done  now? 

Fountain  pens  had  long  been  advertised. 
From  time  to  time  they  had  been  im- 
proved mechanically.  But  while  the  dif- 
ferent makes  varied  in  construction,  all 
appeared  to  the  casual  observer  to  be  es- 
sentially the  same.  Practically  all  pens 
were  black,  plain  or  gold-mounted — long, 
medium  or  short  in  size.  But  inasmuch  as 
the  leading  manufacturers  all  produced 
these  various  styles,  no  manufacturer  had 
any  great  competitive  advantage  except  in 
the  size  of  his  advertising  expenditure. 

The  pen  advertising,  like  the  pens  them- 
selves,  appeared   to   be   "standardized." 


There  were  no  great  appealing  distinc- 
tions. The  only  long  stride  the  industry 
had  been  able  to  take  had  been  due  to  the 
war.  Now  the  business  seemed  to  be 
slipping  back. 

Would  sales  continue  to  recede  until  the 
point  of  "settled"  production  was  reached 
— a  settled  amount  of  replacement  busi- 
ness and  a  settled  amount  of  new  business 
each  year;  but  no  great  gains?  And  how 
far  down  from  the  peak  was  the  point  of 
"settled"  production?  Could  nothing  be 
done  to  turn  the  sales-curve  upward,  or 
had  production  reached  the  saturation 
point? 

These  were  the  questions  with  which 
pen  manufacturers  were  confronted  in 
January,  February  and  March,  1922. 
Meanwhile,  one  manufacturer  had  sought 
an  unusual  solution.  We  shall  see  what 
this  was,  and  how  and  why  it  succeeded. 

The  Product  Needed 

to  Revive  the  Market 

TO  succeed  under  the  circumstances  out- 
lined in  the  foregoing,  two  things  were 
essential — 

1.  Product — a  highly  distinctive  pen — 
a  pen  so  much  better  that  the  world  would 
hail  it  with  the  kind  of  acclaim  that  meets 
the  worth-while  advancements. 

2.  Plan — An  improved  method  of  mer- 
chandising and  advertising. 

Of  course  here,  as  elsewhere,  other  ele- 
ments were  necessary  to  manufacturing 
and  sales  success — sound  financing,  for  ex- 
ample. But  it  may  safely  be  assumed  that 
these  elements  were  provided.  Such  fac- 
tors as  price,  discount  and  sales  policy,  and 
others  classify  under  one  or  the  other  of 


Tkree 


Mf 


Advertising  and  Merchandising  Campaign  on  the  Parker  Duofold  Fountain  Pen 


the  two  general  essentials  enumerated, 
L  e.,  Product  and  Plan. 

The  product  in  this  case  was  the  Parker 
Duofold  Fountain  Pen.  The  original  lj)uo- 
fold  produced  in  August,  1921,  was  what 
is  known  today  as  the  Over-size  Duofold. 
It  supplied  essential  No.  1  in  the  following 
respects: 

a.  Size — Its  barrel  was  made  with  a 
larger  circumference  than  that  of  ordinary 
pens.  This  not  only  contributed  to  its 
distinctiveness — it  provided  extra  large 
ink  capacity  and  a  better  grip. 

b.  Color — Distinctiveness  was  accentu- 
ated by  constructing  the  barrel  of  a  special 
rubber  compound  of  a  rare  shade  of  Chin- 
ese lacquer-red  with  black  tips.  The  ef- 
fect was  beautiful.  And  the  color  also 
served  the  purpose  of  making  the  pen 
harder  to  lose  or  mislay  than  black  pens. 

c  Point — This  consisted  of  a  tip  of 
specially  selected  Iridium  of  unusual  size, 
polished  to  a  high  degree  of  smoothness 
and  set  in  extra  thick  gold.  This  iridium 
is  the  hardest  of  known  metals  and  has  a 
market  value  over  $2,000.00  per  pound. 
The  manufacturer  guaranteed  this  point 
for  25  years  for  mechanical  perfection  and 
wear.  He  might  have  made  it  50  years, 
for  such  a  point  will  probably  never  wear 
out. 

d.     Other     characteristics     were  —  a 

shapely  design  with  symmetry  and  writing 
balance.  The  mechanical  construction  was 
like  that  of  the  Parker  Pens  previously 
manufactured,  containing  the  leak-proof 
"Lucky  Curve"  feed,  safety-sealed  Duo- 
sleeve  cap  and  Press  Button  filler — all 
Parker  patented  inventions. 

The  Duofold  was  not  produced  merely  to 
meet  the  exigency  of  the  occasion.  For  30 
years  Mr.  Parker  and  his  associates  had 
been  striving  to  perfect  a  super-pen.  It 
was  a  coincidence  that  they  should  succeed 
just  at  the  moment  when  such  a  product 
was  needed  to  revive  the  market. 


Introduced  but 

Resisted  by  Retailers 

rpHE  first  lot  of  Duofolds,  consisting  of  a 
-*•  few  dozen,  was  shipped  to  the  Parker 
representative  in  Spokane,  Washington. 
He  had  suggested  the  size  and  color 
adopted  for  the  pens,  hence  the  Company 
believed  that  he,  if  anyone,  could  sell  them. 

Therefore  the  first  lot  of  the  new  style 
pens  was  made  up  and  sent  to  him,  which 
he  promptly  sold  and  immediately  tele- 
graphed for  more.  Other  salesmen,  too,  suc- 
ceeded soon  thereafter  in  selling  some  Duo- 
folds,  and  everywhere  the  new  pen  went  it 
was  favorably  received  by  the  public. 

But  this  distribution  was  widely  scat- 
tered. For  the  majority  of  retailers  were 
disinclined  to  handle  the  Duofold.  They 
believed  that  the  size,  or  the  color,  or  the 
price,  or  all  three  would  not  be  popular. 
The  average  retail  purchase  in  fountain 
pens  was  then  and  had  been  from  $2.50 
to  $3.25.    The  Duofold  was  $7.00. 

This  resistance  on  the  part  of  retailers 
is  noteworthy.  It  illustrates  how  easily 
one  can  sometimes  be  misled  by  trade  opin- 
ions alone.  But  so  well  had  the  Duofold 
sold  where  it  had  gained  a  foothold  that 
the  manufacturer's  faith  remained  un- 
shaken; yet  he  suspected  that  modifica- 
tions might  be  necessary. 

Accordingly,  he  considered  the  practica- 
bility of  manufacturing  and  advertising  a 
smaller  size,  call  it  Duofold  Jr.  and  price  it 
at  $5  retail.  Neither  this  nor  the  $7  Duo- 
fold would  be  profitable,  however,  unless 
large  volume  could  be  generated,  because 
these  prices  barely  covered  the  retailer's 
profit  and  the  cost  of  producing  the  pens 
in  small  quantities.  This  left  practically 
nothing  for  the  manufacturer.  For,  meas- 
ured by  fountain  pen  standards,  the  Duo- 
fold was  really  a  $10  value  for  $7. 

With  this  in  mind.  The  Parker  Pen  Co. 
consulted  a  Chicago  advertising  agency, 
Benson,  Gamble  &  Crowell. 


\ 


ti 


Advertising  and  Merchandising  Campaign  on  the  Parker  Duofold  Fountain  Pen 


An  Appeal  to  Consumers  - 
the  Court  of  Last  Resort 

A  PERSON-TO-PERSON  canvass  to  de- 
termine the  kind  of  reception  the  pub- 
lic would  accord  the  Over-size  Duofold  at 
$7  and  a  smaller  size  (Duofold  Jr.)  at  $5 
was  suggested  by  Benson,  Gamble  & 
Crowell.  The  proposal  was  adopted,  and  in 
February,  1922,  the  advertising  agency 
sent  investigators  into  Illinois,  Indiana  and 
Ohio.  Each  of  these  men  was  equipped 
with  10  or  12  fountain  pens  varying  in 
style  and  size,  but  all  black  excepting  the 
Over-size  Duofold  and  Duofold  Jr.  These 
investigators  had  been  carefully  coached. 
(An  investigation  is  worse  than  useless,  it 
is  misleading,  unless  the  true  opinion  of 
those  interviewed  is  obtained.) 

The  investigators  visited  small  towns 
and  large  cities;  they  stopped  people  on 
the  streets,  called  on  others  in  offices, 
banks,  stores  and  homes ;  they  talked  with 
men  and  women — with  all  classes.  Dis- 
playing his  tray  of  pens  each  investigator 
said : 

"Will  you  pardon  me,  please,  if  I  ask 
a  question?  I  am  not  selling  pens,  I  am 
merely  finding  out  what  kind  people  like. 
It  will  help  me  a  great  deal  to  have  your 
opinion.  Won't  you  try  these  pens  and 
see  which  suits  you  best  ?" 

Beyond  that  the  investigator  was  in- 
structed to  say  nothing  except  in  reply  to 
questions.  He  was  to  leave  the  individual 
free  to  form  his  own  opinion.  But  the 
investigator  was  to  study  the  effect  of 
each  pen  tried  and  the  effect  of  the  price 
when  he  made  it  known  in  response  to  in- 
quiries. And  he  was  to  record  each  inter- 
view. 

This  popular  vote  resulted  in  the  dis- 
covery that  in  spite  of  trade  opinions  to 
the  contrary,  an  extensive  market  existed 
for  the  Over-size  Duofold  at  $7,  Duofold 
Jr.  at  $5,  and  a  similar  pen  in  a  smaller 


size  for  women  at  $5.     In  detail  the  inves- 
tigation determined — 

1  Percentage  of  men  and  percentage  of 
women  favoring  the  following: 

a  Over-size  Duofold  at  $7;  percentage 
favoring  red,  percentage  favoring 
plain  black. 

b  Duofold  Jr.  at  $5;  percentage  favor- 
ing red,  percentage  favoring  plain 
black. 

c  Lady  Duofold  at  $5;  percentage  fa- 
voring red,  percentage  favoring  plain 
black. 

d  Regular  Black  Pens  at  various  prices. 

2  Percentage  of  people  preferring  the 
Over-size  Duofold  but  objecting  to  the 
price  of  $7. 

3  Percentage  of  people  preferring  the 
Lady  Duofold  or  the  Duofold  Jr.»  but 
objecting  to  the  price  of  $5. 

4  Extent  to  which  people  expressed  ad- 
miration for  the  Duofold's — 

a  Color 
b  Point 
c  Size 

5  Comments  favorable  and  unfavorable 
about  various  makes  and  styles  of 
pens. 

To  account  for  so  large  a  part  of  the 
public  accepting  the  $5  and  $7  prices,  it 
was  only  necessary  to  refer  to  the  gov- 
ernment statement  of  income  tax  returns. 
The  number  of  personal  incomes  of  $3,000 
a  year  or  higher  was  shown  to  have  in- 
creased since  1915  nearly  2,000%,  and  that 
more  numerous  class — ^those  reporting  in- 
comes between  $2,000  and  $3,000  yearly — 
to  have  increased  nearly  400%  since  1917 
(See  Chart  Growth  of  Incomes,  page  6) . 

Indeed  buying  power  was  at  a  new  high 
level.  The  market  was  ready  to  pay  the 
price  of  a  super-pen.  But  the  fountain 
pen  business  was  still  being  done  on  the 
old  pre-war  level.  Manufacturers  and 
dealers  were  thinking  in  terms  of  the  past. 


Four 


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''*■■,■■"*  t  *4'"'  "* '  ^*^'  "*  *  — " 


AiTertiaims  ani  MerckaadiaiaK  CaaipaigB  mi  Um  Parker  DnofoM  Foantaia  Pea 


Here  was  a  basic  condition  tiiat  this  in- 
dustry had  oyerlookcd. 

The  arrival  of  the  Duofold  was  timely 
and  propitious.  It  was  economically  and 
psychologically  favored.  Surveying  the 
evidence  and  the  opportunity,  The  Parker 
Pen  Company  resolved  to  back  the  Duofold 
with  all  of  its  resources.  Here  was  a 
priceless  opportunity,  but  it  called  for  vis- 
ion, imagination  and  courage.  To  reduce 
the  hazard,  the  check  of  caution  and  judg- 
ment was  placed  upon  the  enterprise. 

This  was  done  by  a  test  campaign.  The 
details  follow — and  they  demonstrate  one 
way  the  established  principles  of  adver- 
tising can  be  proved — how  surely  results 
can  be  determined — ^not  general  results, 
but  definite. 

The  Test  Campaign 

L 

r'  was  decided  to  manufacture  and  ad- 
vertise three  Parker  Duofold  Pens,  all 


with  a  black-tipped,  lacquer-red  barrel, 
namely: 

Over-size  Duofold — $7. 

Duofold  Jr.  (same  except  for  size) — $5. 

Lady  Duofold  (with  ring-end  for  ribbon 
or  chain) — $5. 

n. 

The  advertising  was  to  be  devoted  to  the 
Over-size  Duofold  at  $7  and  to  mention 
the  other  two  Duofold  models  only  inci- 
dentally. No  space  was  to  be  used  for 
black  pens  or  Parker  metal  pencils.  To 
"put  over"  the  Duofold,  as  advertising 
vernacular  expresses  it,  would  require  con- 
centration. 

Bird-shot  covers  more  ground  than  a 
rifle  ball  but  does  not  carry  so  far  or  pene- 
trate so  deeply.  Like  wise  in  advertising: 
divide  attention  and  your  hits  are  like 
bird-shot,  which  is  good  in  its  proper 
place;  but  when  gunning  for  bear,  con- 
centrate. 


GROWTH  or  INCOMES 

WTNK  MWITaa  STATKS 


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(CMUtMjr  •§  tiM  Cartk  PaMtehiiw  C*.) 


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Adrertiflinff  aad  MerehanJialaf  Campaiga  oa  the  Parker  DaofoM  Foantaia  Pen 


Knowledge  of  these  principles  is  im- 
portant. Also  is  a  knowledge  of  when  and 
where  to  apply  them  in  practice. 

The  psychology  of  giving  advertising 
dominance  to  the  $7  Duofold  rather  than 
to  the  $5  model  was  to  effect  a  higher 
value  on  the  pen.  It  is  difficult  to  sell  the 
higher  priced  of  two  articles  based  on  the 
reputation  of  the  lower  priced,  but  it  is 
easy  to  sell  the  lower  priced  article  based 
on  the  higher  priced  reputation. 

in. 

It  was  decided  to  make  a  test  of  the  ad- 
vertising and  the  plan  in  one  large  city. 

IV. 

Chicago  was  chosen  because  it  is  not 
an  easy  market.  New  York  and  Chicago 
are  the  battle-grounds  of  nearly  all  estab- 
lished lines,  and  the  dumping  grounds  of 
all  sorts  of  merchandise — ^bankrupt  stocks, 
excess  productions,  etc. 

Then  there  are  scores  of  reputable  man- 
ufacturers in  all  industries  who  will  neg- 
lect other  markets  to  sell  in  New  York  and 
Chicago.  To  make  a  success  of  Duofold 
in  Chicago  at  an  "off'  season  (March  and 
April)  for  fountain  pens,  as  it  was  then 
regarded,  meant  that  it  would  succeed  al- 
most anywhere. 

V. 

The  initial  campaign  was  to  be  of  about 
12  weeks'  duration.  The  Chicago  Tribune, 
a  morning  publication,  was  selected  for  the 
trial.  It  was  believed  that  the  Chicago 
market  could  be  sufficiently  covered  in  this 
way  to  serve  as  a  test.  More  papers  in 
Chicago  would  have  been  better  and  have 
since  been  added.  But  in  an  experiment 
it  is  the  part  of  wisdom  to  restrict  the  ex- 
penditure as  much  as  it  is  possible  to  do 
without  defeating  the  purpose. 

The  schedule  of  advertising  consisted 
of  16  insertions  as  follows: 
1 — 800  line  ad  first  week, 
2 — 360  line  ads  each  week  for  3  weeks, 
1 — 360  line  ad  each  week  for  8  weeks. 


VI. 

On  a  Saturday,  nine  days  preceding  the 
publication  of  the  first  advertisement,  10 
Parker  salesmen,  having  left  their  terri- 
tories, reported  in  Chicago.  The  day  was 
spent  in  holding  a  ''sales  school."  Here 
this  sales  crew  was  instructed  by  execu- 
tives of  The  Parker  Pen  Co.  and  Benson, 
Gamble  &  Crowell  in  the  presentation  of 
the  proposition  to  the  retailers. 

vn. 

Each  salesman  was  supplied  with — 
A  Sample  Duofold  Pens 
B  Portfolio  containing — 

1 — Letter  from  the  Chicago  Tribune 
certifying  to  the  receipt  of  a  non- 
cancellable  order  for  the  advertising. 
2 — Proofs  of  the  newspaper  advertise- 
ments. 

3 — Reproductions  of  Posters  of  which 
156  were  to  be  posted  throughout 
the  city  to  show  the  black-tipped, 
Chinese  lacquer-red  color  of  the 
Duofold,  which  could  not  be  shown 
in  the  newspapers. 

4 — Reproductions  of  Counter  Cards  and 
Window  Display  Cards,  etc.,  which 
the  advertiser  would  supply  free. 

5— -Testimonial  Letters  from  dealers  in 
other  towns  who  had  handled  the 
Duofold  with  enormous  success. 

6 — A  set  of  instructions  to  salesmen. 

7 — A  map  of  Chicago  with  all  trading 
centers  numbered. 

8 — A  set  of  cards  each  bearing  the 
name  and  address  of  a  stationery, 
drug,  department  or  jewelry  store 
and  a  number  corresponding  to  the 
number  of  trading  center  on  the 
map  where  the  store  was  located^ 
On  the  back  of  each  card  was  the 
rating  of  each  dealer. 

vni. 

Salesmen  were  assigned  certain  trading 
centers  and  given  the  dealer  cards  for  the 
center,  arranged  in  a  "call  route.* 


It 


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AdrehUAng  and  McrdiaiMtlirfng  CampmifB  on  the  Parker  Dsofold  Foantain  Pen 


IX. 

The  salesmen  started  out  at  8:30  a.  m. 
the  following  Monday  and  worked  one 
week.  They  were  then  sent  back  to  their 
regular  territories  and  two  men  left  to 
make  "follow-up"  calls  on  dealers  who  had 
not  bought.  (The  grross  sales  of  pens  in 
the  first  week  exceeded  the  gross  cost  of 
the  3  months'  advertising  scheduled  for 
Chicago.) 

X. 

The  first  advertisement  appeared  the 
Monday  following  the  sales  drive.  This 
contained  the  names  of  the  Chicago  stores 
which  had  stocked  Duofolds.  The  inser- 
tion of  the  store  name  in  this  advertise- 
ment was  one  of  the  inducements  which 
the  salesmen  had  made  to  dealers. 

XI. 

Window  Displays — ^Through  salesmen 
and  a  special  window  trimming  agency, 
large  numbers  of  Duofold  window  displays 
were  obtained  in  the  stores.  It  is  highly 
important  to  display  a  specialty  article. 
And  the  Duofold  color  gave  it  exceptional 
display  value.  The  displays  established 
contact  with  the  public  at  the  place  of  sale, 
and  this,  while  the  advertising  campaign 
was  in  progress. 

Trade  Resistances  Encountered 

TN  the  introductory  sales  work  a  num- 
■^  ber  of  difficulties  were  encountered. 
Many  dealers  doubted  that  the  advertis- 
ing would  be  published  as  promised.  Nu- 
merous manufacturers  of  other  merchan- 
dise had  promised  advertising  to  induce 
orders.  Some  kept  their  promises ;  others 
failed  to  advertise,  or  failed  to  advertise 
sufficiently  to  create  demand  for  goods. 
Hence  retailers  had  become  wary  of  new 
propositions. 

Dealers  also  had  the  preconceived  no- 
tion that  the  Duofold  price  was  too  high. 
They  were  skeptical  of  the  color;  and  they 
did  not  favor  the  manufacturer's  discount. 


which  did  not  give  them  so  wide  a  margin 
of  profit  as  from  ordinary  pens.  The  cost 
of  manufacturing  Duofold  precluded  this. 
Hence  salesmen  advanced  the  argument 
that  while  Duofold  offered  a  smaller  per- 
centage of  profit  per  pen,  it  presented  a 
larger  dollar-and-cents  profit  than  cheaper 
pens,  and  would  stimulate  the  sales  of 
pens. 

Another  stubborn  sales  resistance,  but 
one  to  be  expected,  was  the  disinclination 
of  non-Parker  retailers  to  stock  Parker 
Pens  in  addition  to  the  makes  which  they 
were  handling.  These  retailers  were  un- 
acquainted with  the  Duofold ;  it  was  new ; 
it  was  experimental ;  no  demand  had  been 
created;  they  could  not  believe  that  this 
product  and  plan  would  change  the  foun- 
tain pen  business  from  the  slow-moving 
stock  it  had  always  been. 

Salesmen  were  carefully  instructed  to 
visualize  for  the  dealer  how  and  why  an 
active  demand  would  be  created.  They 
were  trained  to  sell  the  Parker  "proposi- 
tion," which  embraced  profit  and  turn-over 
as  well  as  the  merits  of  the  product  itself. 

But  notwithstanding  these  resistances, 
a  fair  initial  distribution  was  obtained,  al- 
though the  orders  were  small — a  dozen 
here — a  half  dozen  there.  Three  dozen 
was  a  good-sized  order  then.  A  few 
months  later  the  Chicago  Tribune  made  an 
independent  investigation  of  the  market 
in  the  city.  The  investigation  was  con- 
ducted quite  impartially,  as  this  news- 
paper carries  the  advertising  of  all  major 
pen  companies. 

Chicago  Tribune  Check 

Proved  Parker  Results 

rpHE  Tribune  selected  fifty  representa- 
-*-  tive  fountain  pen  dealers — department 
stores,  stationers,  druggists  and  jewelers. 
The  facts  revealed  were  significant — ^they 
indicated  the  rapid  turn  of  the  public  to 
Parker  Pens — 


Eigit 


AdTertisins  and  Merchandising  Campaign  on  the  Parker  Dnofold  Fonntain  Pen 


1.  Of  dealers  reporting  an  increase 
in  pen  business,  80%  carried  Parkers. 

2.  Of  dealers  not  handling  Parkers, 
89%  reported  either  no  increase  or  a  loss. 

3.  The  Parker  was  carried  exclusively 
in  more  stores  than  any  other  make. 

4.  The  Parker  was  reported  the  "best 
seller*'  more  times  than  any  other. 

5.  The  Parker  was  reported  the  "best 
fountain  pen"  more  times  than  any  other. 

6.  In  investigating  the  price  of  pens 
sold,  the  Tribune  said:  "It  is  noticeable 
that  those  merchants  who  say  that  75%, 
50%  and  25%  of  their  sales  are  over  $5.00 
are  mostly  among  those  who  carry  the 
Parker."  This  is  due  to  the  $5  and  $7 
Duofold. 

Sales  Drives  in  Other  Cities 

ORIGINALLY  it  was  planned  to  test  the 
Duofold  campaign  for  three  months 
in  Chicago,  and,  if  successful,  to  make 
whatever  modifications  might  seem  advis- 
able and  repeat  the  success  in  other  cities. 
However,  by  the  time  the  fifth  advertise- 
ment had  appeared,  or  in  the  third  week 
of  the  campaign,  Chicago  was  talking  and 
buying  Duofold  pens  to  such  an  extent 
that  it  was  decided  to  lose  no  time  in 
covering  other  large  cities  in  practically 
the  same  way. 

Eastern  salesmen  were  called  into  New 
York  City  and  quickly  organized  into  a 
crew  and  coached.  The  Chicago  sales  plan 
was  followed  here,  and  also  in  about  four- 
teen other  major  cities.  Thus  the  manu- 
facturer, instead  of  waiting  until  Fall, 
gained  a  whole  season  by  marketing  the 
Duofold  in  the  Spring.  Each  month,  ex- 
cepting July,  showed  extremely  large 
gains  in  sales  over  the  corresponding 
month  of  the  year  previous. 

It  is  important  to  note  that  in  planning 
and  executing  this  work  the  advertiser, 
through  his  agent,  obtained  the  co-opera- 


tion of  the  newspapers  in  which  his  adver- 
tising was  placed.  Newspapers  supplied 
lists  of  dealers  in  their  respective  cities, 
routings  for  salesmen,  and  in  some  cases 
actually  delivered  window  displays.  In 
other  instances  it  was  necessary  to  have 
a  follow-up  salesman  deliver  the  window 
displays  in  an  automobile.  All  this  display 
material  was  based  on  the  phraseology  and 
illustrations  in  the  advertising,  for  the 
purpose  of  greater  cohesion  and  corelation 
of  effort  and  idea.  This  is  what  is  termed 
in  advertising  vernacular  as  "tying  up" 
the  displays  and  the  advertising. 

In  addition  to  the  personal  sales  effort 
and  newspaper  co-operation.  The  Parker 
Pen  Company,  through  its  Advertising 
department,  not  only  supplied  the  trade 
with  display  material,  but  extensively  cir- 
cularized the  Parker  dealers  and  non-Par- 
ker dealers  with  Duofold  literature  and 
"news"  of  the  Duofold  campaign.  Thus 
many  orders  came  from  the  trade  direct 
by  mail.  Attention  of  the  trade  every- 
where was  fast  focusing  on  the  Parker 
Duofold. 

By  summer  the  manufacturer  was  ready 
to  campaign  the  large  cities  west  of  the 
Rockies  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  and  in  the 
South  and  Southwest.  Everywhere  the 
sales  crews  had  worked,  the  majority  of 
the  pen  outlets — the  department,  station- 
ery, drug  and  jewelry  stores — ^had  stocked 
the  pen  and  were  enjoying  a  good  business. 

National  Advertising  Begun 

IN  the  meantime  other  Parker  salesmen 
had  been  selling  Duofolds  in  the  smaller 
cities  where  a  good  demand  began  to  make 
its  appearance  by  virtue  of  the  country 
circulation  of  the  metropolitan  news- 
papers. Thus  by  August  the  manufac- 
turer had  sufficiently  strong  representa- 
tion in  large  and  small  cities  throughout 
America  to  place  a  non-cancellable  order 
for  13  color  pages  in  The  Saturday  Eve- 


AVw 


AJTwtiAig  aai  MgrcfcaaJMnc  C>mp«ifn  •■  the  Parker  DuofoM  FonnUfai  Pm 

THREE  LARGEST  STORES 

aTw* 
UHDCRMOO 


Adrertiiinf  and  Merchandisiiif  Campaifn  on  the  Parker  Dnofold  Foantain  Pen 


CITies 
OVER  50,000 


100% 


cmcs 
5^00-50,000 


100% 


The  Largest 
Department 
Store  Sales 


In  Gties  under  5,000 
the  total  volume. 


About  half 


In   Cities   S.OOO   to   50,000  -  About 
One  third  of  the  total  volume. 

In  Citi^  over  50,000  -  About  One 
Fourth  of  the  total  volume. 


The  Third  Department  Store  in  all  Groups  of  Cities 
Sells  About  179(7  of  the  whole  Volume. 


100% 


(Cearfssy  ef  the  Cartis  PabUshiac  Ce.) 
Tm 


ning  Post  at  a  cost  of  $8,500.00  each,  a 
total  of  $110,500.00,  and  to  make  it  pay. 
One  of  these  pages  was  scheduled  to  ap- 
pear every  four  weeks  for  a  year. 

Fountain  pen  sales  had  always  suffered 
from  the  lack  of  year-round  advertising. 
Seasonal  advertising  had  accentuated  the 
tendency  to  make  pens  seasonal  sellers. 
What  was  needed  was  more  continuous 
movement  of  stocks.  This  would  stabilize 
production,  better  equalize  manufacture 
and  arouse  more  interest  in  fountain  pens 
among  retailers.  Hence  The  Parker  Pen 
Company  adopted  a  policy  of  year-round 
advertising,  and  a  cycle  of  color  pages  in 
The  Saturday  Evening  Post  conformed  to 
the  plan.  Color  advertising  was  desirable 
because  color  was  an  outstanding  charac- 
teristic of  the  Duofold. 

Prior  to  placing  this  13-page  order  but 
little  advertising  had  been  done  on  the^ 
Duofold  in  a  national  way.  Two  or  three 
color  pages  had  been  inserted  in  two  maga- 
zines, but  these  were  merely  to  facilitate 
the  general  sales. 

It  will  be  noted  that  national  advertis- 
ing in  a  substantial  way  was  not  under- 
taken until  after  important  channels  of 
distribution  had  been  opened  up  in  the 
large  cities  by  localized  newspaper  cam- 
paigns. While  no  definite  figures  are 
available  as  yet,  it  is  estimated  that  nearly 
40%  of  the  fountain  pen  business  is  done 
in  144  cities  and  the  remainder  divided 
among  some  2,600  smaller  cities  and 
thousands  of  rural  communities. 

It  is  also  estimated  that  in  cities  under 
5,000  population  the  largest  store  does 
about  50%  of  the  business,  the  second 
store  331^%  and  the  third  store,  17%. 
The  proportion  of  the  two  larger  stores 
diminishes  as  the  size  of  the  city  increases. 
It  is  also  estimated  that,  for  general  pur- 
poses, one  large  outlet  in  the  major  cities 
will  do  as  much  business  as  20,  30,  40  or 
50  small  ones. 


These  facts  are  mentioned  merely  to  in- 
dicate the  importance  of  careful  analysis 
of  markets  and  distribution  in  planning 
sales  and  advertising.  It  was  with  this  in 
mind  that  The  Parker  Pen  Company  made 
its  initial  Duofold  drive  in  the  large  cities, 
and  made  its  greatest  effort  on  the  larger 
accounts.  Moreover,  the  small  dealer  is 
more  apt  to  follow  the  leader.  It  is  im- 
portant to  get  the  leaders  first. 

During  the  Fall  of  1922,  The  Parker 
Pen  Company,  in  addition  to  the  Saturday 
Evening  Post  advertising,  ran  campaigns 
in  48  city  newspapers  as  well  as  in  42 
college  pap^s. 

The  year  1922  closed  with  a  77%  gain 
in  Parker  sales  over  1921,  notwithstanding 
that  the  first  three  months  (prior  to  the 
Duofold  advertising)  had  registered  a  loss. 
Duofold  advertising  stimulated  the  entire 
fountain  pen  trade.  It  had  its  effect  on 
dther  mamif acjturers,  and  all  became  more 
active  in  sales  and  advertising.  From  a 
humdrum  business,  the  fountain  pen  be- 
came a  vital  winner  in  the  business  of  the 
stationer,  jeweler,  druggist  and  depart- 
ment store  man. 

The  Old  Way— The  New  Way 

TN  January,  1923,  The  Parker  Pen  Com- 
■*-pany  held  a  convention  of  its  salesmen 
at  the  factory  in  Janesville,  Wis.  The 
salesmen  were  put  through  a  veritable 
course  of  training  for  three  or  four  days. 
They  went  from  the  convention  to  their 
respective  territories  fully  equipped  to 
present  to  retailers  a  new,  broad  and  more 
efiicient  Pen  proposition  than  had  there- 
tofore existed. 

This  proposition  enabled  merchants  to 
build  and  operate  in  their  business  a 
modern  pen  department  in  contrast  to  the 
"old  fashioned"  pen  business. 

Under  the  old  way  merchants  carried 
pen  stocks  12  months  of  the  year  to  do 
business  3  or  4  months.    That  is,  compara- 


Elevem 


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AiwrntHdrng  ud  M«rcluuiiirfBC  CampaiffB  mi  tke  Parker  PaofoM  F— Ufai  P< 


tively  few  pens  were  sold  at  retail  except- 
ing at  the  srraduation  and  wedding  season 
— June;  the  opening  of  schools  and  col- 
leges— September,  and  to  some  extent, 
February;  and  at  Christmas — December. 
It  would  be  a  pretty  safe  guess  that  75% 
of  the  pen  business  was  done  in  these  four 
months.  And  75%  of  the  advertising 
appropriations  were  spent  between  Sep- 
tember 1st  and  December  25th. 

Manufacturers  and  dealers  both  ac- 
cepted the  dull  months  as  a  necessary  evil. 
Other  months  were  naturally  quieter  for 
pens,  and  having  no  advertising  or  sales 
support  they  sank  into  inactivity.  The 
disparity  between  the  poor  months  and 
the  good  months  was  accentuated  by 
the  concentration  of  nearly  all  the  resale 
efforts — advertising,  display,  etc. — on  the 
good  months. 


Such  acute  variations  between  the  peaks 
and  valleys  of  the  retailer  were  not  good 
for  him  or  for  the  manufacturer.  They 
produced  inequalities  in  production  with 
resultant  problems  of  finance,  unemploy- 
ment followed  by  scarcity  of  skilled  pen 
makers,  higher  costs  and,  at  times, 
impaired  quality. 

As  for  the  retailer,  his  overhead  expense 
was  ever  with  him,  even  in  months  when 
there  was  no  demand  for  pens.  The  pen 
case  took  up  floor  space,  his  investment 
was  tied  up,  and  in  many  instances  his 
black  pens  turned  green  in  the  show  case 
waiting  for  buyers. 

Moreover,  manufacturers  produced  so 
many  styles  of  pens  that  the  retailer  could 
not  pick  an  assortment  from  a  catalog  or 
sample  line  without  selecting  a  majority 
of  slow  sellers.    This  was  the  old  way. 

(  Centinutd  *ff  page  tf  ) 


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INTENTIONAL  SECOND  EXPOSURE 


Advertisins  and  Merchandiung  Campaifn  on  the  Parker  Dnofold  Fountain  Pen 


tively  few  pens  were  sold  at  retail  except- 
ing at  the  graduation  and  wedding  season 
— June;  the  opening  of  schools  and  col- 
leges— September,  and  to  some  extent, 
February;  and  at  Christmas — December. 
It  would  be  a  pretty  safe  guess  that  75 /t 
of  the  pen  business  was  done  in  these  four 
months.  And  75  v;  of  the  advertising 
appropriations  were  spent  between  Sep- 
tember 1st  and  December  25th. 

Manufacturers  and  dealers  both  ac- 
cepted the  dull  months  as  a  necessary  evil. 
Other  months  were  naturally  quieter  for 
pens,  and  having  no  advertising  or  sales 
support  they  sank  into  inactivity.  The 
disparity  between  the  poor  months  and 
the  good  months  was  accentuated  by 
the  concentration  of  nearly  all  the  resale 
efforts — advertising,  display,  etc. — on  the 
good  months. 


Such  acute  variations  between  the  peaks 
and  valleys  of  the  retailer  were  not  good 
for  him  or  for  the  manufacturer.  They 
produced  inequalities  in  production  with 
resultant  problems  of  finance,  unemploy- 
ment followed  by  scarcity  of  skilled  pen 
makers,  higher  costs  and,  at  times, 
impaired  quality. 

As  for  the  retailer,  his  overhead  expense 
was  ever  with  him,  even  in  months  when 
there  was  no  demand  for  pens.  The  pen 
case  took  up  floor  space,  his  investment 
was  tied  up,  and  in  many  instances  his 
black  pens  turned  green  in  the  show  case 
waiting  for  buyers. 

Moreover,  manufacturers  produced  so 
many  styles  of  pens  that  the  retailer  could 
not  pick  an  assortment  from  a  catalog  or 
sample  line  without  selecting  a  majority 
of  slow  sellers.    This  was  the  old  way. 

(  Continued  on  page  77  ) 


DEPARTMENT  STORE  SALES 


■V  MONTHS 


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•«  THE    SATURDAY    EVENING    POST  JipHti.nu 

THE       LIFE        LONG       CO-WORKER       THAT       IS       ALL       BUT       HUMAN 


Courtesy  "writes  its  Intimate 

Letters  by  Hand 

and  Duofold  Leaves  No  Excuse  for  Bad  Form  Now 

The  Over-size  1*arker  •with  the  Super-smooth  'T*oint 
Sndeared  to  the  Hearts  of  America 


"Db  noc  be  guilty  cf  oflering  a  slight  in  your 
personal  c»rrespondence,  whispers  Cour- 
tesy, "by  negleaing  to  write  by  hand! 

"Indeed  no  letter  has  such  charm  and 
character  as  the  one  handwritten.  The 
personal  touch  conveys  a  gracious  interest 
— anything  else  is  apt  to  suggest  its  ab- 
sence." 

No  one  can  ailord  this  lack  of  courtesy 
where  it's  due.  And  with  the  fascinating 
Duofold  nesting  in  your  pocket,  or  lying 
ready  on  your  desk,  your  hand  will  ever  be 
eager  to  comply  with  Courtesy's  deman<is. 

For  Duofold's  classic  symmetry,  and  size, 
and  balance,  make  it  a  pen  that  fairly  nes- 
tles in  your  fingers.  Its  supcr-s-nooth  NATIVE 
Iridium  point  glides  merrily  over  any  pa- 
per, seeming  (or  all  the  world  to  travel  of 
its  own  balanced  weight. 

Why  pawn  your  good  humor  for  the 


difference  in  price  of  an  ordinary  pen  and 
the  noble  Duofold?  Isn't  it  worth  S7 
to  have  Courtesy's  haiKlsome  co-worker 
all  your  life? 

Its  Chinese  lacquer-red  barrel  and  flash- 
ing black  tips  make  it  a  hard  pen  to  lose. 
It's  a  work  of  fine  art  in  shapeliness  and 
color  —  dn  index  of  highest  excellence  in 
the  individual's  taste. 

You  will  gain  by  getting  it  promptly.  So 
go  today  to  the  nearest  pen  counter  for  ycur 
Parker  Duofold  on  30  days'  trial.  Neat  goki 
pocket-clip  included  free,  or  gold  ring-end 
for  ribbon  or  chain. 

Parker  EXwfokl  may  also  be  had  in  plain 
black  if  desired.  Noncgenuinc  without  this 
inscription— "Geo.  S.  Parker— DUOFOLD 
— Lucky  Curve."  Any  good  pen  counter 
will  be  glad  to  supply  you,  not  witfistanding 
that  inferior  pens  ofler  larger  profits. 


\ 


\ 


THE       PARKER       PEN       COMPANY 


JANESVILLE.      WISCONSIN 


NEW    TOKK 


CHICAGO 


ManulaOuTtTt  alto  of  Pmrkrr  "Lmcky  Lack"  Pncib 
C*n*di«n  DntnlxKnn:  Bumw.GdlM*  H  Cooipanir.  Ljimtrd.  Hjmilion  Ontario 


SAN    rRANCISCO        SPOKANE 


63 


THE    SATURDAY   EVENING    POST 


Fmbrumty  «,  t9»4 


Duofold  converts  the 


u 


Die  Hards^  too 

— fAe  men  who  think  all  fountain  pens  are  alike 

Its  Size  and  Balance  and  23-year  Point 
put  fresh  inspiration  into  everyone*s  writing 


You  know  the"Die  Hards"—  the  fellows  who 
believe  all  fountain  pens  are  alike.  They  either 
never  owned  a  Claw  A  pen,  or  have  lour  or  five 
cheap  pens  rattling  around  in  their  desks. 

They  had  no  affection  for  alarm  clocks  either, 
until  Big  Ben  came  along  and  woke  them  up.  And 
when  Gillette  first  took  the  n:K>rning  murder  out 
of  shaving,  the  "Die  Hards"  were  the  last  to  cheer 
the  safety  razor. 

But  there's  one  food  thing  about  the  "Die 
Hards" — they  can  be  convinced  if  you  show  them. 
So  whenever  one  of  their  number  starts  to  ex- 
pound his  theory  about  fountain  pens,  just  pull 
out  this  black- tipped  lacquer -red  Duofold  and 
give  him  a  taste  of  the  fresh  inspiration  that  Geo. 
S.  Parker  has  put  into  every-day  writing. 

Even  the  hardest  "Die  Hard"  will  own  up  he 
never  swung  a  pen  with  Duofold's  inspiring  bal- 
ance—  that  he  never  saw  one  with  Duofold's  clas- 
sic shapeliness  aiKl  beauty. 


Hell  catch  the  new  idea  when  you  tell  him  this 
Chinese  lacquer- red  color  makes  Duoiold  a  hard 
pen  to  lose  —  that  its  size  and  symmetry  give  it  a 
friendly  feel  in  the  hand.  And  he  can't  write  his 
signature  without  admitting  that  Duofold's  pol- 
ished Iridium  point  (guaranteed  25  years  for  wear 
and  mechanical  perfection)  is  the  smoothest  thing 
that  ever  slid  over  paper. 

He'll  like  the  capacity  of  the  0\-er-size  ink  bar- 
rel And  when  you  show  how  the  Ink-  tight  Duo- 
sleeve  Cap  fits  with  micrometric  precision  so  the 
Duofold  can't  leak,  the  chances  are  10  to  I  that 
hell  soon  head  for  the  nearest  pen  counter. 

After  all,  the  Parker  Duofokl  gives  the  biggest 
thrill  to  men  and  women  whom  ordinary  pens 
can't  stir.  That's  why  good  pen  counters  sell  Parker 
E)uofold  on  30  days'  approval  —  knowing  that  day 
by  day  this  classic  grows  on  everyone. 

If  you  don't  own  the  Ehiofold  already,  get  this 
classic  before  the  "Die  Hards"  beat  you  to  it. 


THE    PARKER    PEN    COMPANY    -    JANESVILLE,    WISCONSIN 

NtW  raWt  CHICAOO  MmmmfactMTtvtmt— m4  Parkri" Lmcky  Lock"  Pencil* 


TH[  rAKKEK  rot  STAIN  PIN  COMPAST.  LIHITFD.  TOUONTO.  CANADA 


IAN  rRANCttCO  «KHUNC 


Vanhfi 

JHia 


With  ThemtS  Year  Point 


Dm(»M  Jr.  CS 

S«inceiic«fx  lor  «tw 


-^s^to^ 


NM 


f 


•  NEW    GOLD    GIRDLE-WAS    $1    EXTRA-NOW    FREE,    DUE    TO    LARGE    PRODUCTION 


Fourteen 


Fifteen 


'.-.■%«■' 


MM 


The  Fountain  Pen  Situation 
in  Los  Angeles 

As  revealed  by  the  ^'Los  Angreles  Examiner"  Market  Investigation 

The  following  is  a  true  and  authentic  report  of  the  find- 
ings of  our  Merchandising  Service  Department  field 
representatives  in  their  investigation  of  the  fountain 
pen  market  in  the  City  of  Los  Angeles. 


LOS  ANGELES  EXAMINER, 

Merchandising  Service  Dept. 
Harold  H.  Scott,  Manager 


THE  twenty-one  brands  of  fountain 
pens  listed  below  were  found  on 
sale  in  the  100  representative  stores 
covered  by  this  survey.  The  number 
of  dealers  handling  each  brand  is 
tabulated,  likewise  the  number  of 
dealers  handling  each  brand  ex- 
clusively, and  also  the  number  of 
times  each  brand  was  reported  to  be 
the  best  seller. 


PARKER  has  a  lead  of  166%  to 
288%  in  each  phase  of  the  survey. 
1st,  his  degree  of  distribution  is 
166%  greater  than  the  2nd  pen;  2nd, 
Parker  is  carried  exclusively  in 
nearly  four  times  as  many  stores  as 
the  next  pen;  and  3rd,  53%  of  all  the 
dealers  reported  Parker  as  "best 
seller"  which  is  a  lead  of  194%  over 
the  next  most  popular  pen. 


Various 

Brands 

Dealers 

Carried 

Reported 

Sold  in  Los  Angeles 

Carrying 

Exclusively 

Best  Seller 

Parker  Pens 

72 

35 

53 

2nd  Pen  ( 

name  withheld 

in 

fairness  to  maker] 

)       27 

9 

15 

3rd  Pen 

« 

it 

tt 

it 

<( 

26 

18 

4th  Pen 

tt 

M 

M 

« 

tt 

10 

5th  Pen 

tt 

M 

M 

M 

tt 

7 

6th  Pen 

ti 

M 

M 

M 

tt 

6 

7th  Pen 

« 

M 

M 

«< 

tt 

5 

8th  Pen 

«( 

M 

M 

M 

tt 

3 

9th  Pen 

<i 

M 

M 

« 

tt 

2 

10th  Pen 

it 

M 

<« 

« 

tt 

2 

11th  Pen 

*t 

«l 

tt 

tt 

tt 

2 

12th  Pen 

tt 

M 

ti 

M 

tt 

13th  Pen 

tt 

M 

M 

«< 

tt 

14th  Pen 

tt 

«< 

M 

U 

tt 

15th  Pen 

tt 

M 

« 

« 

tt 

16th  Pen 

tt 

«< 

t* 

ti 

tt 

17th  Pen 

tt 

« 

« 

« 

tt 

18th  Pen 

tt 

M 

« 

«< 

tt 

19th  Pen 

tt 

M 

M 

M 

tt 

20th  Pen 

tt 

M 

M 

tt 

tt 

21st  Pen 

tt 

M 

M 

tt 

tt 

.\ 


[N.  B. — Example  of  typical  sales  promotion  circalar.] 


I 


AdrertifliiiK  «>d  MerduuidisiBg  Campaign  on  the  Parker  Dnofold  Fountain  P<n 


How  Parker  Found  the  Remedy 

BY  means  of  the  black-tipped  lacquer- 
red  Duofold,  Parker  had  been  able  to 
split  the  pen  market  into  red  pens  and 
black  pens.  The  Duofold  enabled  the  re- 
tailer to  increase  his  profit,  for  while  his 
percentage  of  profit  per  pen  on  Duofold 
was  not  so  large,  this  pen  retailed  at  $7 
and  $5  against  $2.50  for  the  average  pen. 
Hence  the  retailer's  doUar-and-cents  pro- 
fit was  greater,  even  on  a  smaller  percent- 
age of  profit,  or  discount. 

Next,  Parker's  policy  of  heavy  year- 
round  advertising  stimulated  sales  in  the 
so-called  "off"  months.  Hence  it  enabled 
the  retailer  to  do  a  gratifying  business 
every  month  in  the  year.  It  turned  over 
his  pen  investment  about  twice  as  fast  as 
formerly. 

Thus  the  Parker  proposition  brought  a 
twofold  benefit: 

1.    Double  turnover  of  investment  with 

CPTECT  OF  8CA80NAL  ^  ALL  YEAR  AOVCRTWINQ 


(ConrtMT  of  the  Cartis  PnblMhinc  Co.) 


a  year-round  sale  of  pens. 
2.    Nearly  twice  as  much  money  per 

pen  sale. 
The  next  move  was  to  duplicate  all  the 
black-tipped  lacquer-red  Duofold  Pens  in 
plain  black  ks  well.  This  alone  doubled 
the  Duofold  line.  And  it  also  enabled  the 
retailer  to  raise  his  black  pen  business  up 
to  the  basis  of  his  red  pen  business.  Mean- 
time Parker  began  to  eliminate  slowselling 
models.  In  8  months  about  285  were  dis- 
continued. 

But  that  large  section  of  the  pen  market 
which  goes  to  pens  under  $5,  was  not  be- 
ing served  by  a  popular  fast-selling  pen,  as 
the  Parker  Duofold  served  the  higher 
priced  fields,  except  by  Parker  $2.50  pens. 

Parker  met  this  situation  by  creating 
the  new  Parker  D.  Q.  at  $3.  (This  pen, 
with  but  little  advertising  to  date,  has 
been  enormously  successful).  Retailers 
seemed  to  take  hold  of  it  as  one  man.  And 
it  rounded  out  the  Parker  line — a  line  that 
enabled  any  merchant  to  pick  out  a  fast- 
selling  assortment  with  his  eyes  shut,  so 
to  speak, — something  impossible  in  the 
old  days  with  eyes  open. 

This  $3  pen  was  made  in  two  styles,  a 
long  and  a  short  model ;  and  was  really  a 
$4  value.  The  point  was  14-karat  gold  set 
with  a  tip  of  selected  Iridium  polished  to 
jewel-like  smoothness. 

The  straight  line  engraving  was  new 
and  pleasing. 

The  cap  was  reinforced  with  a  metal 
band. 

A  neat  pocket-clip,  or  extra  large  ring- 
end  for  ribbon  or  chain  or  to  link  to  the 
student's  note-book,  was  included  free. 
(An  extra  charge  is  usually  made  for 
these) . 

And  this  pen  was  given  a  larger  ink 
capacity  than  the  ordinary  pen  at  this 
price. 

Hence  with  a  simplified  line  of  pens,  a 
better  line  for  the  dealers  and  the  public. 


Heventeen 


Adrertising  and  MerdumdigiBg  Campaign  on  the  Parker  Duofold  Fountain  Poi 


I 


Parker's  next  problem  was  to  effect  their 
resale  to  the  degree  that  opportunity  pre- 
sented. 

The  Parker  Resale  System 

TT7HAT  has  been  done  sounds  simple 
» V  enough  when  recounted.  But  the 
student  should  realize  that  it  is  one  thing 
to  have  a  good  idea,  yet  quite  another  to 
induce  others  to  accept  it. 

Within  the  memory  of  dealers,  foun- 
tain pens  had  always  been  slow  sellers,  ex- 
cepting in  the  so-called  "good"  months. 

Naturally,  when  new  ideas  were  pre- 
sented, the  dealers  regarded  them  in  terms 
of  past  experience.  They  could  not  easily 
think  otherwise,  unless,  like  a  few  of  the 
retailers,  they  were  gifted  with  extra 
vision. 

But  these  few — this  minority — supplied 
the  basis  for  the  future.  Their  success 
with  Parker  Pens  was  studied — their 
costs,  their  profits.  And  creative  minds 
were  set  to  work  to  adapt,  improve  and 
add  new  ideas. 

Every  season,  every  month  in  the  year 
was  studied  to  locate  the  year-round  op- 
portunities for  the  sale  of  pens. 

And  Parker  Advertising  was  harnessed 
to  all  these  opportunities.  Also  to  the  gen- 
eral trade,  for  this  too  could  be  stimulated. 
Thus  every  month  was  programmed  and 
every  dealer  was  shown,  by  mail  and  by 
salesmen,  how  he  could  increase  the  sales 
of  pens  that  month. 

The  Parker  Advertising  Department 
supplied  him  the  means: 

m.  A  Monthly  Service  of  Cuts  and  Local 
Ads  which  he  could  insert  over  his  own 
name.  Parker  paid  for  the  cuts,  the  dealer 
for  the  space.    (See  cut  page  21) 

b.    Window  and  Store  Display  Material. 

c    Circulars  and  other  printed  matter 
for  distribution. 
d.    Canvassing  methods  and  equipment. 


e.  Ideas  for  creating  sales. 

f.  Instructions  to  raise  the  sales  effi- 
ciency of  clerks. 

g.  Instructions  for  operating  a  Pen  Re- 
pair Service  and  for  training  Repair  Men. 

These  various  resale  methods  enabled 
the  dealer  not  only  to  create  sales,  but  to 
attract  to  his  store  the  readers  of  The  Par- 
ker Pen  Company's  advertising. 

The  extent  of  this  advertising — ^the  so- 
called  "coverage"  in  his  territory — ^was 
shown  to  him  by  the  Parker  salesman 
when  the  resale  plan  was  presented.  Even 
the  available  pen  business  in  his  trading 
radius,  computed  on  reliable  data,  was 
placed  in  the  dealer's  possession. 

Thus  the  Parker  Resale  System  not  only 
advised  dealers  how  much  business  could 
be  done,  but  when  and  how  to  do  it;  and 
supplied  the  means.  Of  course,  not  all 
dealers  accepted  and  operated  these  plans, 
nor  will  they  ever.  As  in  getting  public 
acceptance  of  a  product,  so  too  must  dealer 
acceptance  be  won  by  repeated  effort.  But 
each  month  more  retailers  fell  in  line  until 
thousands  were  selling  pens  the  new  way. 

Parker  National  Advertising 

Program  Aug.  to  Dec.  1923 

As  an  example  of  an  advertising  sched- 
ule, arranged  so  as  to  reach  the  great 
masses  of  people  as  well  as  certain  selected 
responsive  classes,  the  Parker  1923  Au- 
tumn campaign  is  reproduced  hereunder. 
The  Saturday  Evening  Poet— Full  Page 

in  colors  every  4  weeks. 
American  Magazine— Full  Page  in  color. 
Newspapers — One  advertisement  a  week 
and  sometimes  twice  a  week  from  Au- 
gust to  Christmas  in  106  city  news- 
papers in  the  United  States. 
College  Papers — Series  of  advertisements 
at  opening  of  college.    These  followed 
by  color  pages  in  the  College  Monthly 
Magazines. 

Business  Magazines  —  System  Magazine, 


Advertising  and  Merchandising  Campaign  on  the  Parker  Dnofold  Foantain  Pen 


'! 


Eighteen 


V 


Sales  Management  and  Business  Maga- 
zine— ^fuU  pages  in  color  addressed  to 
executives,  urging  Parker  Pens  for  In- 
dustrial Uses :  for  gifts  to  employes  and 
customers,  prizes  in  sales  contests, 
premiums,  etc. 

Foreign  Campaigns 

A  CANADIAN  factory  and  selling  or- 
ganization was  established  in  Toronto 
and  newspaper  campaigns,  preceeded  by 
intensive  selling  drives,  were  put  on  in  all 
Canadian  metropolitan  centers.  Distri- 
bution was  attained  in  exactly  the  same 
successful  manner  as  was  employed  in  the 
United  States. 

Parker  advertising  schedules  are  now 
running  in  the  following  countries : 
Mexico  Norway 

Cuba  Denmark 

Peru  Sweden 

Chili  Italy 

Argentine  China 

Brazil  Java 

Federated  Malay  States 
Phillipine  Islands 
India 

The  copy  and  plans  used  in  foreign 
countries  are  substantially  the  same  as 
used  domestically.  Many  modifications  in 
phraseology  were  necessary  because  of 
difiiculties  in  translation  and  also  in  order 
to  assimilate  the  foreign  viewpoint.  But 
broadly  speaking  the  same  general  ideas 
in  both  copy  and  plan  have  been  employed 
in  foreign  markets.    (See  cut  page  20) 

Advertising  Based  on  Previous 
Sales  and  a  Quota  for  the  Future 

The  first  year's  advertising  of  the  Duo- 
fold  made  it  practicable  for  The  Parker 
Pen  Company  to  compute  with  a  reason- 
able degree  of  accuracy  the  sales  expect- 
ancy of  the  next  year. 

This  was  done  by  establishing  a  sales 
quota  for  each  state,  using  a  composite  of 


three  factors  as  a  base-line : 

1.  Worth-while    population    over    10 
years  of  age  in  the  state 

2.  Number   of    Income    Tax   returns 
from  the  state 

3.  Automobile  registration  in  the  state 

There  was  found  for  each  state  its  per- 
centage of  the  total  of  these  factors  in 
the  United  States.     Thus:    Ohio  has — 

.0643  of  the  worth-while  population  in 
the  United  States  over  10  years 
of  age 

.0629  of  the  United  States  Income  Tax 
Returns 

.0659  of  the  automobiles 
or  an  average  of  .0643  of  the  total  of  these 
three. 

Therefore,  the  base-line  of  the  Ohio 
sales  quota  was  taken  as  6  4/10%  of  the 
total  sales  quota.  In  other  words,  Ohio 
should  produce  6  4/10%  of  the  total  U.  S. 
sales. 

The  Saturday  Evening  Post  sales  were 
selected  for  comparison  because  this  pub- 
lication has  been  systematically  and  in- 
tensively sold  in  all  states  and  all  counties 
in  relation  to  the  opportunity  for  sales,  or 
so-called  "Market  Opportunity,"  or  "Avail- 
able Market." 

In  devising  the  Parker  quota  system, 
other  factors  might  well  have  been  in- 
cluded, such  as  savings  deposits.  But  the 
quota  base-line  as  figured  was  as  accurate 
as  necessary. 

Prior  to  its  adoption,  no  ratio  had  been 
preserved  between  the  sales  of  a  given 
state  and  its  available  market.  Business 
had  largely  depended  on  the  ability  of  the 
individual  salesman,  the  size  of  his  ter- 
ritory, and,  relative  activity  of  other  pen 
salesmen  in  that  territory,  and  the  stand- 
ing of  the  manufacturer. 

The  sales  quota  system  corrected  this. 
For  it  was  now  practicable  to  operate 
salesmen  and  advertising  in  every  section 
of  the  country  with  a  definite  relation  to 


11 


nineteen 


v^><e^i^<|i 


'■aat^^'. 


tHaii^stoVds.La 
Plama-Fneiite  De  DoMe 
XunaftoQuel 
DeLaeadUnat 


-^   V    - 


M&s  hermosa  que  el  oro 


'^sr 


Rivdna 


roio 


(i.., 


Avnct^M  cl bot6mT  1* 


tHan  visto  Vds.  esta  nueva  pluma-fuente,  aue  emula 
en  belleza,  equiUbrio  y  aparienda  al  pajaio  Cardenal? 
El  tono  roio  suave  de  la  DUOFOLD  paxeoe  i  la  laca 
finade  china. 

Es  esta  la  pluma-f  uente  que  en  la  pracdca  han  esco- 
jido  62  pexBonas  de  cada  100,  de  entxe  muchas  otras. 
Su  popi;daridad  en  los  Estados  Unidos  es  casi  absoluta. 

Geo.  S.  Parker,  inventor  de  la  pluma-luente 
•lucky  curve"  a  prueba  de  goteo,  ha  creado 
csU  DUOFOLD  extragrande,  con  una  punta  de 
Iridio  puro,  tan  suave,  durable  y  resistente  como  una 
piedra  predosa.  No  necesita  adaptarse  al  pulso,  y  su 
duradon  alcanza  por  lo  menos  i  25  anos. 

Vaya  A  la  primer  tienda  del  ramo,  y  deje  A  su  mano 
probar  el  tacto  y  peso^tan  Hen  balanceado  de  esu 
pluma,  que  absorbe  doble  cantidad  de  tinta  que  la 
pluma-luente  ordinaria.  Con  una  pluma  DUOFOLD 
d  escribir  se  convierte  en  un  placer. 

No  deje  de  verla.  Si  su  esubledmiento  preierido 
no  tiene  aain  existendas,  hagale  un  pedido  A  prueba. 


% 


igmX  pcfo  mit  diin  Con  aro  pua  wfton 

EtHH  y  oiros  eaiabledmienios  podr&n  ensdUtrUs  la  Duo/old:^ 


^rc5*^ 


ft 


AdrcrtifliBg  and  Mcrdiandisinf  Campaign  on  the  Parker  Duofold  Foantain  Pen 


the  potential  pen  business.  Readjust- 
ments of  man  power  and  print  power  (ad- 
vertising) were  made  in  a  number  of  ter- 
ritories. For  example:  Two  salesmen 
were  covering  Michigan.  But  Michigan's 
quota  revealed  a  sales  potential  in  excess 
of  the  amount  of  pens  that  two  men  could 
handle.  So  a  third  man  was  put  in  Michi- 
gan. The  quota  of  another  state  revealed 
that  it  was  too  heavily  manned.  And  this 
situation,  too,  was  rectified. 

So  with  the  advertising — states  were 
examined  separately.  In  each  the  per- 
centage of  the  total  expenditure  was  com- 
pared with  the  percentage  of  the  total 


sales,  and  the  percentage  of  the  total  sales 
quota  or  potential.  Also  the  cost  of  adver- 
tising per  100  population  was  studied,  and 
the  character  of  the  market — urban  and 
rural. 

Thus  did  The  Parker  Pen  CJompany  or- 
ganize its  selling  power — man  power  and 
advertising — and  expend  a  given  effort  for 
a  given  amount  of  returns.  There  were 
some  fluctuations,  of  course.  Here  a  state 
fell  below  its  quota,  but  here  another  com- 
pensated by  exceeding  its  quota.  Then 
new  readjustments  were  made,  until  sales 
control  was  effected — control  as  accurate 
as  modem  methods  could  make  it. 


v\ 


THE    PARKER    PEN    COMPANY,  JANESVILLE,  WISCONSIN.  E.  U.  A. 

Fabricantes  tambj*n  de  los  lapiccros  Parker  "Lucky  Lock"  

TwtHty 


Dec  25*0 

It  Dnotold  Day 

In  home  after  home  on  the  Glad- 
some Day  the  gay  Christmas  color  of 
Parker  Duofold  will  flash  forth  its 
message  of  thoughtfulness  and 
good  cheer  to  the  lucky  ones 
who  get  it 

The  beautifal,  big,  black 
tipped  lacqaer-rad  pen  with 
the  rich  Gold  Girdle  and  the 
point  guaranteed  against 
wear  for  25  years — 
there's  a  Gift,  and  a 
good  one  to  have 
your  generosity 
judged  by ! 


'a^ 


5!^^j 


«  :;•- 


10 


'Ji7Ui2 


«  « -s  I 


23 

SO 


i3 


3ijpsf2e^ 


ifrfifi?/ 


^J. 


To  the  men,  give 
Parker  Duofold  $7.  To 
the  boySf  give  Duofold 
Jr.  $5.  To  the  women  and 
girls,  give  the  slender  Lady 
Duofold  $5.  Prices  include 
neat  gold  pocket-dip  for  him, 
or  gold  ring-end  for  her  ribbon. 
Gold  Girdle — was  $1 — now  free. 
Duofold  Day  is  near.  Today,  before  the 
last  rush  begins,  step  up  to  the  pen  counter 
and  in  five  minutes  get  the  better  part  of 
your  Christmas  shopping  over. 


n«ld  stationery  Company 


pBxample    of    dealer    advertisement.      A    Monthly    Ad' 

Service,  consisting  of  proofs  of  timely  advertisements 

[of   different   sizes,   is   sent   out   to   dealers   regularly. 


T'wtnty'OHe 


■'\r 


mmimIih 


^A, 


AdTertisinir  i^nd  Merchandisingr  Campaign  on  the  Parker  Duofold  Fountain  Pen 


NO   CHAROB   HOW   FOR   STRONG  ^GOLD   GIRDLE  — WAS 


II 


BXTRA 


!.>„  'n 


nm^ 


^^'^ 


The  Over-size  pen  with  li-year  point 

There*s  a  lure  in 
its  balance 

tiiat  your  liand  can^t  get  away  from 

Try  Duofold  and  ordinary  pens 
together — wkhout  looking! 

IBT  your  hand  get  a  taste  of  Parker  Duofold's  super-snux>th 
^  point  and  balanced  swing  and  you  won't  wonder  that  peo- 
ple are  passing  up  ordinary  pens  to  pay  twice  as  much  for 
this  black-tipped,  lacquer-red  Oassic. 

Take  a  look  at  its  Over-size  barrel  snd  youll  see  why  it 
holds  such  a  bumper  ink-supply.  Flash  your  eye  on  its  color 
and  you'll  see  why  the  world  calls  it  handsomer  than  gold— 
why  it  makes  this  a  hard  pen  to  lose  when  you  lay  it  down. 

Buy  Pvker  Duofold  on  30  days'  approval  and  youll  soon 
discover  that  you'll  write  from  inspiration— not  from  the  prod- 
ding of  your  conscience. 

Then  when  someone  calls  for  a  pen  you  can  proudly  pull  out 
your  Duofold  and  lend  it — for  no  style  of  writing  can  distort 
this  25-year  Native  Iridium  poinL 

The  only  pen  with  the  Ink-tight  Duo-sleeve  Cap — the  only 
one  with  Invisible  Press-Button  Filler.  No  hole  in  the  wall- 
no  ink  on  hands  or  clothes.  Neat  Gold  Pocket-clip  or  Ring- 
end  free  as  well  aa  strong  Gold  Girdle  —  the  crowning 
touch  to  its  beauty. 

Get  Parker  Duofold  today  and  you're  fixed  for  life— a  $10 
value  for  $7.  Step  up  to  any  good  pen  counter  today.  j^^^^  ^ 


Rcnevc  blaek 
tip  firom  Invi*- 
fbl«  Bllcr  b«t- 
tott — press  and 
r«l— — .  C<Kiot 
fm  whil*  It 
drtekc 


hmuty  »f  tkt  ScaAet 


l«MJr.M 

Same  eiKcpt  for  •!•• 


Whb  rinc  for  cbatclaio* 


THE     PARKER     PEN     COMPANY,    JANESVILLE,    WISCONSIN 

Mmaafmcturerm  ml»o  of  Pfkw  "Luckjr  Lock"  Pmooila 


An  Analysis  of  the  Parker  Duofold  Copy 


RESULTS  are  the  real  appraisers  of  ad- 
vertising copy.  It  is  easy  to  measure 
them  in  mail  order  advertising.  It  is  more 
difficult  in  advertising  articles  sold 
through  the  general  trade.  But  it  can  be 
done.  And  the  abler  men  in  advertising — 
men  who  know  advertising's  established 
principles — devise  a  variety  of  advertising 
tests. 

Duofold  advertising  was  tested  in  Chi- 
cago. And  this  test  revealed  a  number  of 
things.  For  one,  the  right  sales  policy 
and  merchandising  methods.  For  another, 
the  kind  of  advertising  that  obtains  spon- 
taneous response  from  large  numbers  of 
people.  And  lastly,  the  approximate  re- 
sults obtained  in  the  sale  of  Duofold  Pens 
from  a  given  effort  of  sales  and  advertis- 
ing adjusted  to  high  gear. 

These  results  were  measured  by  the 
quantities  of  new  pens  sold,  the  new  ac- 
counts opened,  the  re-orders,  and  the  size 
and  importance  of  the  acquired  sales  chan- 
nels, from  which  was  computed  a  safe 
sales  expectancy  for  the  year. 

The  Parker  Pen  Company  had  been  ad- 
vertising previously  for  about  30  years. 
No  such  extensive  results  as  this  cam- 
paign yielded  had  ever  manifested  them- 
selves before.  And  none  like  them  that  we 
had  been  able  to  observe  in  the  advertis- 
ing of  any  other  pen. 

Unquestionably  the  Parker  Duofold  it- 
self— ^its  size,  its  color,  its  classic  beauty — 
contributed  much  to  this  initial  success. 
And  the  ultimate  success  was  due  to  the 
excellence  of  the  pen  more  than  to  any- 
thing else.  But,  given  an  exceptional  ar- 
ticle, it  depends  on  the  copy  appeal  and 
merchandising  methods  whether  success 
comes  slowly  or  swiftly.  Indeed  the  Duo- 
fold had  been  on  the  market  about  nine 


months  before  this  advertising  started. 
But  advertising  was  needed  to  give  it  real 
sales  impetus. 

Just  as  there  was  a  spontaneity  in  the 
copy  itself,  so  was  the  public  response 
spontaneous  and  wide-spread.  Duofold's 
success  was  quick  and  sure,  because  the 
sales  work  was  carefully  organized  and 
thoroughly  done,  and  was  predicated  on 
advertising  of  sufficient  volume  and  ap- 
peal so  powerful  that  large  numbers  of 
people  were  impelled  to  walk  into  stores 
to  ask  for  this  particular  pen,  to  pay  twice 
the  price  of  ordinary  pens,  and  to  do  so 
regardless  of  the  season.  Advertising 
which  will  produce  to  this  degree  is  well 
worth  the  student's  careful  analysis. 

Now  in  analyzing  the  Parker  Duofold 
copy  it  is  well  to  consider  that  fountain 
pen  advertising  had  progressed  only  little 
in  the  years  preceding  it.  Let  the  student 
obtain  this  earlier  advertising  from  old 
magazine  files  and  compare  it.  He  will 
note  that  all  pen  makers  spoke  the  same 
language  and  wore  the  same  standardized 
clothes,  so  to  speak,  in  print.  Where,  in 
this  standardized  advertising,  was  there 
any  competitive  advantage?  What  of  its 
interest  value?  Was  its  sales  appeal  al- 
luring? 

Was  it  not  the  average  run  of  advertis- 
ing— ^the  kind  to  which  the  millions  have 
become  accustomed  and  give  but  passing 
notice?  Does  it  not,  like  the  venerable 
villager,  all  ''seem  to  say  an  undisputed 
thing  in  a  very  solemn  way  ?"  Or  is  it  not 
the  sort  of  praise  of  his  own  product  that 
people  would  expect  a  manufacturer  to 
print?  Is  that  kind  of  advertising  apt  to 
excite  great  interest,  or  intrigue  America's 
desire  to  possess? 

You  will  also  find  in  the  older  advertis- 


Twenty-tkree 


I 


'Slmt^Af 


JLL    ,.'kH.     .t.1 


MMiii 


Adrertisinf  and  Merchandising  Campaign  on  the  Parker  Duofold  Fountain  Pen 


ing  some  bright  and  clever  diversions  from 
dull  mechanical  recitals.  But  even  those 
wrought  no  great  advancement  in  fountain 
pen  popularity,  for  that  which  amuses  in 
advertising  is  rarely  taken  seriously. 

Two  Types  of  Copy 

"pENERAL  PUBLICITY"  copy,  so 
^J  called,  is  now  known  to  be  of  such 
low  sales  efficiency  that  we  shall  not  con- 
sider it  here.  Indeed  it  is  a  relic  of  the 
first  age  of  advertising;  although  there 
are  those  who  still  cling  to  it  sedulously. 
But  "General  Publicity"  today  is  an  ad- 
ventitious by-product  of  the  newer  and 
more  scientific  Causative  Advertising. 

In  Causative  Advertising  there  are,  in- 
deed, but  two  basic  copy  appeals.  One  is 
that  which  appeals  to  the  intellect — called 
"reason  why"  copy  by  some,  "Inductive 
Copy"  by  this  writer.  The  other  is  that 
which  appeals  to  the  fancy  or  emotions, 
termed  by  some,  "emotional"  copy.  Both 
are  Causative  Copy. 

Duofold  copy  is  a  combination  of  these 
two.  Its  writer  believed  that  both  ap- 
peals would  be  effective,  and  thus  the  re- 
sponsive impulses  of  the  largest  number 
of  readers  could  be  touched.  And  the 
tests  proved  this  correct. 

To  appeal  to  the  senses,  the  emotion,  the 
fancy,  copy  must  attain  vividness.  To  ap- 
peal to  the  intellect,  it  must  present  logi- 
cal argument — reasons. 

Now,  the  first  task  of  the  advertising 
writer  is  to  build  a  case  for  his  product, 
much  as  the  lawyer  does  for  his  client. 
One  appeals  to  judge  and  jury,  the  other 
to  the  court  of  public  opinion.  So  the 
prime  essential  of  a  good  advertisement 
is  the  major  conception,  or  idea. 

The  second  essential  is  the  expression 
of  the  idea,  and  expression  is  attained 
through  the  medium  of  white  space, 
type  and  illustration.  The  form  of  the 
advertisement  is  termed  the  "layout,"  and 


this  in  itself  is  often  one  means  of  expres- 
sion. To  what  degree  an  advertisement 
yields  results  depends  on  the  strength  of 
its  major  idea  and  the  power  of  the  expres- 
sion to  awake  desire  and  to  carry  convic- 
tion. 

Hence  in  copy  writing,  as  in  rhetoric, 
technique  is  a  cardinal  requisite  to  good 
work.  Yet  the  product  of  some  of  the 
most  successful  advertising  writers  would 
not  pass  muster  with  rhetoricians.  Many 
coined  words,  idioms  and  figures  of  speech 
which  may  not  be  sanctioned  by  "good 
use"  are  effectively  used  in  advertising, 
but  are  also  badly  overworked.  Taste 
must  be  exercised,  exaggeration  avoided. 

Headline  Called  90  ^o  Important 

SOME  good  advertising  writers  believe 
that  in  advertisements  which  are  de- 
void of  illustrations,  or  in  which  is  illus- 
trated merely  the  article  advertised,  the 
headline  or  caption  ranks  90%  in  impor- 
tance, the  text  only  10%. 

Certain  it  is  the  heading  of  the  adver- 
tisement is  the  most  vital  part.  Nowhere 
better  than  in  mail  order  advertising  is 
this  fact  demonstrated.  Too  many  writers 
of  pubhcity  copy  lack  the  training  of 
"traced  result"  experience. 

The  art  of  advertising  expression  em- 
ploys the  principles  of  rhetoric,  and  more, 
— the  strategy  of  salesmanship.  Without 
this,  a  master  of  King's  English  and  Com- 
position is  a  babe  in  the  Advertising 
Woods. 

He  must  have  vision,  he  must  know  his 
audience — the  language  people  speak  to- 
day, their  thoughts,  their  problems,  their 
aversions,  their  pleasures,  their  ambitions, 
their  vanities,  their  sympathies,  their  su- 
perstitions, their  sentiments,  their  habits, 
their  inclinations  and  desires,  and  their  re- 
actions. He  should  be  able  to  sense  all  the 
nuances  which  play  along  the  whole  chro- 
matic scale  of  life  and  human  nature. 


Advertising  and  Mercliandising  Campaign  on  the  Parker  Dnofold  Fountain  Pen 


Thus  may  he  project  himself  into  the 
shoes  of  his  reader  and  build  his  appeal 
from  the  reader's  standpoint.  The  self- 
interest  of  the  manufacturer  of  the  article 
advertised  should  be  screened  from  view. 
Too  often  it  is  not — ^too  often  it  dominates 
in  advertising,  for  too  often  manufactur- 
ers who  are  good  manufacturers  know 
little  of  what  constitutes  good  selling  lure. 

Examine  the  Duofold  advertising;  do 
you  find  these  faults  ?  Does  it  measure  up 
to  good  copy  ideals  ? 

To  gain  vividness  and  arouse  fresh  in- 
terest, a  new  fountain  pen  lexicon  was 
coined.  Compare  the  Duofold  copy  with 
fountain  pen  advertising  in  the  magazine 
files  of  1921  and  earlier.  Has  the  Duofold 
copy  not  brought  into  use  many  new 
terms,  such  as  these: 

balanced  swing 

super-smooth  point 

over-size  ink  capacity 

flashing  black  tips 

The  HE-pen 

writing  urge 

classic  symmetry 

via  Duofold 

Do  these  not  appeal  more  strongly  to 
the  imagination  than  commonplace  foun- 
tain pen  shop-talk  ? 

Again,  rhetoric  tells  us  that  strong  ef- 
fects are  attained  by  appropriate  but  mod- 
erate use  of  simile,  metaphor,  personifica- 
tion, synecdoche,  metonymy  and  other  fig- 
ures of  speech.  It  may  be  interesting  to 
note  how  they  are  employed  in  Duofold  ad- 
vertising to  gain  vividness,  to  stir  the  im- 
agination or  to  make  the  reader  feel  the 
sensations  wanted  in  a  pen.    Examples : 

Metonymy  —  **Wall  Street  or  Main 
Street,  it's  the  reigning  favorite." 

♦Personification — "Courtesy  writes  its 
intimate  letters  by  handT' 


« 


«i 


Simile — "A  point  as  smooth  as  a  pol- 
ished jewel  bearing." 

Metaphor — "A  super-smooth  pen  gives 
thought  free  rein." 

Numerous  other  examples  may  be  noted 
if  the  student  but  looks  for  them.  As  for 
expressions  which  stir  the  imagination, 
appeal  to  the  fancy,  and  at  once  present 
"reason  why"  arguments  for  purchase, 
here  are  a  few  of  many : 

A  point  that  needs  no  'breaking  in.' " 

Its  black-tipped  lacquer  red  barrel  is 
not  only  handsomer  than  gold — ^it  makes 
this  a  hard  pen  to  lose." 

"Its  lacquer-red  barrel  abounds  with 
Christman  cheer." 

"Hands  crave  this  over-size  pen  as  they 
crave  a  balanced  golf  stick." 

"No  style  of  writing  can  distort  the 
Duofold  point — hence  a  pen  you  can  lend 
without  fear.  What  other  pen  dare  you 
pass  from  hand  to  hand?" 

"Its  over-size  barrel  holds  a  long-dis- 
tance ink  supply." 

Note  also  the  absence  of  such  trite  gen- 
eralities as  "fine  workmanship,"  "service- 
able," "reliable,"  etc.,  with  which  mediocre 
copy  is  replete.  Does  not  the  Duofold 
copy  make  the  reader  draw  the  conclusion 
of  "fine  workmanship?"  How  mucn 
stronger  is  this  than  to  state  conclusions 
which  may  or  may  not  be  believed,  and 
which  nine  times  out  of  ten  may  suggest 
to  the  reader's  mind  the  manufacturer's 
self-interest,  or  his  zeal  in  his  own  achieve- 
ments, which  will  not  be  taken  seriously  by 
a  sophisticated  public. 

For  example,  which  is  the  more  effec- 
tive: 

"62  Men  in  100  Picked  this  Over-size 
Pen,"  or 

This  Pen  Appeals  to  the  Majority. 


tir 


t$ 


Ttventy-Jtmr 


♦(Rhetoricians  might  argpae  that  "its"  is  incor- 
rect, because  personification  requires  either  the 
masculine  or  feminine  personal  pronoun.  But 
advertising  license  steps  in  and  overrules  rhet- 


oric, believing  that  either  "his"  or  "her"  would 
limit  the  attention  value  of  the  heading  to  men, 
or  to  women,  whereas  "its"  is  an  all-inclusive 
appeal  to  a  mixed  audience.) 


Twenty-Ji've 


A  difference  of  9  seconds 

Dttof  old  Takes 
Longer  to  Fill 

Because  of  Its  Over-SIxe  Ink  Capacity 

PARKER  DUOFOLD  takes  longer  to  fill  than  ordinary  pens  be- 
cause of  its  Orer-size  Ink  Capacity.  Leave  the  nozzle  immersed 
in  ink  about  10  seconds  after  you've  released  3rour  finger  from  the 
Filler  Button  Yes,  give  Parker  Duofold  a  chance  to  drink  its  Mond, 
YOMlVL  seldom  have  to  lead  it  to  ink. 

Next,  keep  the  cap  on  tight  when  your  pen  is  not  in  use.  For  Duo- 
fold's  Duo-Sleeve  Cap  has  an  Inner  Sleeve  that  forms  an  ink-tight 
seal  with  the  shoulder  of  the  pen.  It  is  fitted  to  mx3t>metric  preci- 
sion and  cannot  leak.  Keep  it  tight. 

Parker  Duofold  is  a  fall  grown  pen— it  doesn't  have  to  be  coddled.  But,  just  as 
dirt  will  shut  off  the  flow  of  gasoline  to  your  motor,  so  sediment  will  clog,  or  dried 
ink  "gum'  and  stop  the  flow  of  a  pen.  Give  your  pen  the  same  chance  that  you 
would  give  a  motor  truck.  Now  and  then  stick  the  nozzle  of  the  pen  into  a  glass  of 
water  and  press  the  Filler  Buuon  several  times.  That  cleans  it.  X>uofold's  "Lucky 
Curve"  insures  a  leakproof  feed  and  steady  flow  when  c/ean. 

Lastly,  don't  drop  your  pen  on  cement.  To  avoid  such  accidents,  we  include 
with  Parker  Duofold  a  neat  Gold  Pocket-clip  or  Gold  Ring-end  for  ribbon  or 
chain  free.  Also  a  strong  if  Gold  Girdle  that  reinforces  the  cap—the  crowning 
touch  to  its  black-tipped  lacquer-red  beauty. 

Yes,  a  good  pen  responds  to  care  better  than  a  poor  one.  So  ^  ve  the  Parker  Duo- 
fold  just  ^rly  decent  treatment  and  this  pen  clanic  will  never  lie  down  on  the  Job. 
Phone  this  newspaper  for  names  of  dealers  if  you  don't  know  where  to  get  Duofold. 

Siep  tu>  todayto  any  good  pen  coutUer 
and  buy  Parker  Duofold  on  30  day^  approval 

THE  PARKER  PEN  COMPANY 

Mmnrnfmciunrm  «/«o  ofPmrkmr  "Lucky  Lock"  PmncUm 
Peetorr  m»4  Owierel  OOec.  JANBSVILLIl;  WO. 


Keep  Cap  Ticht 


Beer  te  Clean 


Strong  "if  Oold 
Girdle  and  Neat 

Gold  Clip  or 
Rinc-end  Free 


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IJr.tf 

Seme  except  for  aite 


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for  chattf  sine 


RmmIscIm 

beawo  o/ the  Scarlet 

Tanatef 


^f^^^T onager  ^^^ 


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Adyertising  and  Merchandising  Campaign  on  the  Parker  Duofold  Foontain  Pen 


The  second  states  the  conclusion.  The 
first  does  not;  it  effects  the  conclusion  in 
the  reader's  mind. 

Again,  good  advertising  strives  to  effect 
the  conclusions  in  the  reader's  mind;  it 
avoids  stating  conclusions,  unless  specific 
facts  or  proof  are  also  offered. 

Reading  Public  Blase 

TT  is  more  difficult  to  interest  people  in 
•■■  advertising  today  than  it  was  ten  years 
ago.  Many  coupon  plans,  once  highly  pro- 
ductive, now  fall  flat. 

Indeed  the  public  has  become  blase  in 
the  matter  of  advertising  just  as  it  has 
in  many  matters.  The  aeroplane  that 
would  make  a  whole  city  look  skyward  a 
few  years  ago  now  gets  but  passing  notice ; 
the  latest  jazz  dance  that  received  front 
page  position  in  the  newspapers  is  now 
mentioned  in  their  columns  only  incident- 
ally. A  few  years  back  the  woman  or  girl 
who  lighted  a  cigarette  created  a  stir  in 
the  cafe.  To  use  the  vernacular  of  the 
street,  people  are  too  "hard  boiled"  today 
to  get  a  thrill  from  spectacles  which  cre- 
ated sensations  yesterday. 

For  the  average  citizen,  advertising,  as 
advertising,  has  lost  its  magic.  To  get 
and  hold  its  attention  it  must  rise  far 
above  the  commonplace.  And  it  must  ren- 
der him  a  service. 

Avoid  ^^Blind"|jCaption8 

A  FEW  people  may  puzzle  over  "blind" 
headlines,  but  the  vast  majority — 
the  millions  to  whom  the  advertising 
writer  must  sell — they  have  too  much  else 
to  do.  In  Duofold  advertising  "blind"  cap- 
tions were  studiously  avoided. 

A  good  heading  indicates  the  subject. 
In  "traced  result"  advertising  this  kind 
rarely,  if  ever,  fails  to  produce  much 
greater  returns  than  "blind"  headlines 
that  give  no  due  to  the  subject. 


Different  headings  appeal  to  different 
people  and  usually  present  different  ideas. 
Hence  diversification  is  good  practice,  but 
one  good  caption  will  stand  much  repeti- 
tion. (Some  captions  have  been  used  for 
years  in  "traced  results"  advertising  to 
better  effect  than  any  others  tried  in  the 
meantime.) 

The  Scarlet  Tanager  and  Duofold 

TN  planning  the  physical  appearance  of 
-*•  the  Duofold  advertising  it  was  decided 
to  illustrate  the  pen  in  "still  life,"  except- 
ing as  some  unusual  picture  might  be  de- 
sirable occasionally  to  illustrate  the  text. 

The  conventional  "hand  holding  a  pen," 
or  "African  traveller  writing  on  his  knee 
in  the  shadow  of  the  pyramids" — such  old 
standbys  would  scarcely  contribute  fresh 
diversion.  Yet  some  simile  was  wanted 
by  which  to  compare  the  color  and  beauty 
of  the  Duofold.  A  Chinese  lacquer  vase 
was  tried  in  the  experimental  layouts.  But 
this  too  was  "still  life,"  and  what  was 
needed  was  animation.  Then  colorful 
birds  were  tried  and  the  black-tipped  red- 
bird,  or  scarlet  tanager,  most  of  all 
appealed. 

The  scarlet  tanager's  value  proved 
to  be  three-fold.  For  one,  this  bird  sup- 
plied the  animation  needed.  For  another, 
it  furnished  a  rare  simile  for  the  beauty, 
grace  and  color  of  the  pen.  But,  more 
than  all,  it  stirred  the  imagination  of  mil- 
lions— one  of  the  most  important  and 
most  difficult  of  advertising  tasks. 

Flavored  With  Good  Cheer 

/^NE  point  that  the  student  should  not 
^^  let  escape  him — ^the  spirit  of  cheer 
which  radiates  from  Duofold  copy.  Of 
competitive  pens  it  never  speaks  dispar- 
agingly. On  imitations  it  touches  but 
casually,  and  then  treats  them  lightly  so 
readers  will  regard  them  lightly. 


Twenty-seven 


AdTertising:  and  Merchandising  Campaign  on  the  Parker  Duofold  Fountain  Pen 


Advertising  should  never  be  flavorless, 
neither  should  it  leave  a  bad  taste.  Many 
intelligent  people  will  not  adopt  a  substi- 
tute if  they  know  it — ^because  they  know 
substitution  is  the  offspring  of  inferiority. 
But  many  others  will  buy  substitutes, 
unless  they  believe  the  deceit  will  be  found 
out.  Subtly  suggest  that  the  substitute 
will  "give  them  away,"  and  you  forestall 
substitution. 

One  point  more — each  Duofold  adver- 
tisement is  complete  in  itself.  It  is 
planned  to  make  a  sale — it  presupposes  the 
prospect  will  not  listen  twice.  Many  do, 
but  never  count  on  that.    "Serial"  adver- 


tising is  the  most  expensive  there  is. 
When  you  have  the  reader's  attention, 
that  is  your  chance.  Let  your  advertise- 
ment make  the  most  of  it. 

Much  advertising  that  is  considered  suc- 
cessful, does  not  harmonize  with  these 
principles.  But  we  believe  it  would  be  bet- 
ter advertising  if  it  did.  And  manufac- 
turers are  beginning  to  recognize  that 
there  are  varying  degrees  of  advertising 
success.  Hence  the  student  who  plans  to 
make  advertising  his  career  will  do  well  to 
consider  that  these  principles  of  better 
practice  will  more  and  more  prevail  in  the 
years  to  come. 


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TITLE 


